Famous Landmarks in North America

Posted By IsacAug 25, 2015

The continent of North America lies in the northern and western hemispheres of the planet. Occupying an area of 24,709,000 square kilometers, the region houses a huge population and ranks as the world’s fourth most populated continent. A large number of foreigners are attracted to North America by its amazing natural beauty as well as man-made wonders. The Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon and the Empire State Building are some examples of the most famous landmarks in North America. Read on to discover information and facts about five of the most spectacular landmarks of the continent.

The Statue of Liberty

The colossal Statue of Liberty was gifted to the United States of America in 1986 by France. It stands on the Liberty Island located in the New York Harbor. The monument weighs 225 tons and measures 93 meters in height. It is the statue of a female which depicts the Roman goddess of freedom – Roberta.

Here are some interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty.

As its actual full name, the magnificent statue is known as Liberty Enlightening the World.

The name of the French artist who designed this legendary monument was Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.

Inscribed on the tablet which the robbed female figure holds is the date of America’s Declaration of Independence – 4th of July 1776.

There are stairs to let visitors climb up the statue and explore its magnificence. In order to reach to the top of the woman’s crown, tourists have to climb up 354 stairs.

The crown of the statue contains windows which are twenty-five in number. Visitors can look outside through these windows to enjoy a spectacular view.

The Statue of Liberty is visited by around four million people each year, making it the third most visited place in the world after the Eiffel Tower and the London Eye.

The Grand Canyon

Located in the state of Arizona, the spectacular Grand Canyon is counted among the seven natural wonders of the world. The most distinguishing feature of the national park is layered bands made up of red rock. The rest of the region offers adventurous activities like hiking, camping and mule ride.

Here are some interesting facts about the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon stretches to a length of 446 kilometers.

The Colorado River running through the region has been causing erosion of the steep sides of the Grand Canyon for millions of years.

The schist rock found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is as old as two billion years.

The region and the surrounding area housed American Indians for thousands of years.

The nature’s wonder was turned into a national park in the year 1919, becoming the seventeenth national park in North America.

The Empire State Building

Standing in Manhattan, New York City is an enormous skyscraper known as the Empire State Building. Its construction began in 1929 and was completed in 1931. The building was designed by William Lamb and consists of 103 floors.

Following are some interesting facts about the Empire State Building.

As many as 3,400 workers were hired for the construction of the colossal skyscraper who finished the job in 410 days – quicker than expected.

The Empire State Building held the rank of the world’s tallest skyscraper for forty-one years between 1931 and 1972.

For tourist attraction, there are observation decks on two of the building’s floors – 86th and 102nd.

The building contains a total of 79 elevators – 73 for people and 6 for freight.

It was the world’s first building having a hundred floors.

There is a lightening rod at the top of the building. On average, the rod is struck twenty-three times in a year by lightening.

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The Golden Gate Bridge

Another one of the most famous landmarks in North America is the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a suspension bridge which spans the Golden Gate Strait – a channel connecting the San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. The bridge is 2,737 meters long with a height of 227 meters.

Some more informative facts about the bridge are given below.

The construction of the bridge began in 1933 and was completed in 1937.

The total cost of the construction project was around 27 million US dollars.

It is a strong bridge which has been designed to withstand eight point earthquakes and survive gusty winds measuring up to 90 mph.

The Golden Gate Bridge is the most photographed landmark in the city of San Francisco.

The initial toll cost for crossing the bridge was merely 50 cents. Today, it is 6 dollars.

Joseph Stratus, Charles Ellis and Irving Morrow were the main designers of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Gateway Arch

Located in ST. Louis, the Gateway Arch is another one of the most famous landmarks in North America. It is a stylish monument which rises to a height of 630 feet, surpassing the skyline of the city.

Here is more information about the popular Gateway Arch.

The architect of the monument was Eero Saarinen whose design was chosen through a nationwide competition held nationwide in order to select the best design for a monument to honor the western pioneers.

The construction of the Gateway Arch was completed in two years between years 1963 and 1965.

It cost 13 million US dollars to construct the spectacular Gateway Arch.

This steel structure weights 43, 000 tons.

The monument is located at the banks of River Mississippi in the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

Other than the above mentioned popular landmarks, there are several other wonders in the continent of North America. The continent offers a wide range of mind-blowing monuments and structuress as well as breathtaking natural marvels.